Benzene Leak from Tanker in Chembur East Contained, No Injuries Reported
A tanker transporting approximately 28 tonnes of benzene developed a leak near Mysore Colony on Mahul Road, close to the Monorail station in Chembur East, on Monday evening, triggering a swift emergency containment operation by civic authorities. No injuries were reported in connection with the incident.
The incident was formally reported to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Disaster Management Cell at around 8:12 pm. Benzene, which is a colourless and highly flammable liquid hydrocarbon, was leaking from the tanker, prompting officials to immediately initiate safety protocols to contain the chemical and prevent any fire hazard.
As part of the emergency response, officials arranged for an empty tanker to decant the hazardous cargo. The chemical was transferred from the leaking vehicle into the replacement tanker, with officials confirming that the decanting operation was successfully completed by around 10:20 pm.
Following the completion of the transfer, both tankers were moved to the BPCL refinery premises. A 500-metre safety cordon was enforced and maintained around the affected site as a precaution while the tankers were being relocated.
Emergency personnel remained deployed on the ground throughout the operation to monitor conditions. As a precautionary measure, the affected section of Mahul Road was thoroughly washed down using water jets.
Traffic along the route was restored once the site was secured, and the situation returned to normal by late Monday night. Civic officials stated that the circumstances leading to the chemical leak are yet to be ascertained, and further details regarding the incident are awaited.
